[Highfive99]

It works for me but not for others, so I'm not recommending it any more.

This is why I only got one cable when I got my clock. But as I mentioned, I felt I wasn't hearing the all difference a clock makes that I'd reading about and decided to try a second cable for the DAC. And as mikeypas mentions, Gustard told him connect both his U and R to the clock. Go with what works I guess!

 

[mikeypas]

This is why I only got one cable when I got my clock. But as I mentioned, I felt I wasn't hearing the all difference a clock makes that I'd reading about and decided to try a second cable for the DAC. And as mikeypas mentions, Gustard told him connect both his U and R to the clock. Go with what works I guess!

I just ordered the ock-2 but since it was Chinese new year recently the backlog is long they said.
Ordered the c2 cables, can always upgrade later. Really long to communicate with the stores in China. Each email exchange takes a day!

(Even though the vendors on aliexpress say that the ock1/2 has valid warranty, beatechnik which is the official distributor says they don’t. So beware of very cheap aliexpress ock-2)
Here’s hoping everything will work out sonically!!

 

[ray12345]

I've never tried/seen such cable befo.... As far as I know for 50 Ohm: Belden/ HUBER+SUHNER (Red 50 Ohm stock on After Dark clocks) < Cybershaft blue 50 Ohm < Gustard C2< SOtm dCBL-BNC 50 Ohm.

Sorry for bring up an old topic..... can I confirm if Crypt has actually experienced comparison between Cybershaft Blue with Gustard C2 or is it just what he expects?

I own Cybershaft Blue, it is a very good capable used between Gustard C18 and U18, but this cable needs about 200 hours to run in before sounding normal. I was wondering whether changing to Gustard C2 will be an upgrade, given the Cybershaft Blue already performs very well now, and I don't know if the above is compared after 200 hours of run in, because I am sure every user will ditch the Cybershaft blue if they listened to one than runs in less than 100 hours, it is almost unlistenably bright without any body on any music instrument.

 

[Highfive99]

Paul from PS Audio posted a vid on FB asking about USB reclockers aka DDC's being worth it. 1 reply so far is "No. Next"

Obviously posted by someone who has never listened to the difference they can make. I love how people who never use or try a device can just categorically deny that that device can make a difference.

 

[MartinWT]

So many close-minded people out there. The "bits are bits" brigade who believe digital is perfect and cannot have replay variances.

 

[Highfive99]

So many close-minded people out there. The "bits are bits" brigade who believe digital is perfect and cannot have replay variances.

The ASR crowd comes to mind....

 

[milkdudd]

The ASR crowd comes to mind....

I recently purchased some Canton Reference 9K speakers to go with my Gustard C18/U18/A22 set up. There's one guy at ASR who has made it his life's work to trash the Canton Reference line of speakers. I find them to be the best sounding speakers I've ever heard and I have (and have had) some pretty damn good ones. With that said (and as to not hijack this thread) I'm considering the A26 dac to go with the C18/U18. Does anyone think the fact that the A26 has a clock input where the A22 doesn't, would be reason enough to upgrade? If there are further improvements with the A26 that would just be the icing on the cake as they say

 

[Highfive99]

Does anyone think the fact that the A26 has a clock input where the A22 doesn't, would be reason enough to upgrade?

Yes, without question. A clock input makes for a significant upgrade in sq. Frankly, after getting a clock, I wouldn't buy any DAC in the future without a clock input.

 

[milkdudd]

Yes, without question. A clock input makes for a significant upgrade in sq. Frankly, after getting a clock, I wouldn't buy any DAC in the future without a clock input.

Thanks very much for your response. I knew how important the clock is, that's why I got the C18. I just wasn't sure if running a second BNC cable to the dac was a big upgrade. I'm using the Gustard C2 cable between the C18 and the U18. Then lls between the U18 and dac. I guess it would make sense to get another C2 cable to go to the A26. Does that seem to make sense?

 

[ray12345]

Thanks very much for your response. I knew how important the clock is, that's why I got the C18. I just wasn't sure if running a second BNC cable to the dac was a big upgrade. I'm using the Gustard C2 cable between the C18 and the U18. Then lls between the U18 and dac. I guess it would make sense to get another C2 cable to go to the A26. Does that seem to make sense?

Maybe sharing a bit of my own experience, I too owned U18 and C18 with my X26 Pro. When I first used Cybershaft Blue clock cable, the cable was so bright that I cannot stand the sound. I ended up using the Cybershaft Blue to connect to U18 and then the original C18 clock cable that came with C18 to connect to X26 Pro. This tames the sound a bit to make it more listenable. After more than 200 hours of run-in, the Cybershaft Blue has almost fully run-in and I ended up testing again and prefers just connecting C18 to U18 using Cybershaft Blue cable, as this has more resolution and sounds more natural and transparent.

I guess the lesson I learned is :

1) using separate cables from C18 to U18 and then C18 to DAC combines the characteristics of the two clock cables into the system, and this may be good for sound tuning, depending on the cable combination
2) a single cable from C18 to U18 and then U18 to DAC via I2S already transfers the clock to the DAC. Of course, whether it is better than connecting C18 to both U18 and DAC depends on the quality of your clock cables and quality of your I2S cable.

There is no absolute right or wrong, just try it. I am tempted to order another Cybershaft Blue cable to connect my C18 to the DAC, just of see what kind of difference it makes.

 

[milkdudd]

Maybe sharing a bit of my own experience, I too owned U18 and C18 with my X26 Pro. When I first used Cybershaft Blue clock cable, the cable was so bright that I cannot stand the sound. I ended up using the Cybershaft Blue to connect to U18 and then the original C18 clock cable that came with C18 to connect to X26 Pro. This tames the sound a bit to make it more listenable. After more than 200 hours of run-in, the Cybershaft Blue has almost fully run-in and I ended up testing again and prefers just connecting C18 to U18 using Cybershaft Blue cable, as this has more resolution and sounds more natural and transparent.

I guess the lesson I learned is :

1) using separate cables from C18 to U18 and then C18 to DAC combines the characteristics of the two clock cables into the system, and this may be good for sound tuning, depending on the cable combination
2) a single cable from C18 to U18 and then U18 to DAC via I2S already transfers the clock to the DAC. Of course, whether it is better than connecting C18 to both U18 and DAC depends on the quality of your clock cables and quality of your I2S cable.

There is no absolute right or wrong, just try it. I am tempted to order another Cybershaft Blue cable to connect my C18 to the DAC, just of see what kind of difference it makes.

Thanks for the info. You probably already realize this but the cable that comes with the C18 is is a very generic cable, not the superior C2 cable. When I bought mine they shipped the clock and the C2 cable separately. Since the clock arrived first I thought the cable in the box was the C2. A very confusing couple of days

 

[Jake2]

Thanks very much for your response. I knew how important the clock is, that's why I got the C18. I just wasn't sure if running a second BNC cable to the dac was a big upgrade. I'm using the Gustard C2 cable between the C18 and the U18. Then lls between the U18 and dac. I guess it would make sense to get another C2 cable to go to the A26. Does that seem to make sense?

Here’s my experience again with the R26 (shares the K2 clock synthesiser with the A26), the U18 and two C2s:

I did the same with my R26. No question that slaving first U18 and then later R26 with OCK-1 brought additive improvements in my system. Very easy to toggle clock on/off with R26 via the remote. I use two C2 cables too. But I can't disagree with @Highfive99 that they're pricey. They're still the best cable of four I've tried and I've tried a particular highly recommended LMR400. Difference may be further burn in on LMR400 needed or a clock synergy thing. Sine is what I use as it sounds clearly better than square.

If I was going to spend C2 money now I'd look at the, IIRC correctly, slightly more expensive silver 50ohm cable that @FredA said on the MasterClock thread beats the C2 (and by extension the LMR400 he also has) by some margin. I am considering trying one.

 

[ray12345]

Here’s my experience again with the R26 (shares the K2 clock synthesiser with the A26), the U18 and two C2s:

I wondered if that is clock dependent. For C18, I found I like the square wave more than the sine wave. Sine wave is a bit smoother, but square wave has more resolution and soundstage width and depth. Also you mentioned you like C2 out of 4 cables you tried, did you try the Cybershaft Blue as well?

 

[Highfive99]

Thanks very much for your response. I knew how important the clock is, that's why I got the C18. I just wasn't sure if running a second BNC cable to the dac was a big upgrade. I'm using the Gustard C2 cable between the C18 and the U18. Then lls between the U18 and dac. I guess it would make sense to get another C2 cable to go to the A26. Does that seem to make sense?

See post 1498 on page 100 of this thread for my experience with adding a BNC cable from the clock to the DAC as well as to my U18. The short of it is clocking both devices directly yielded the best SQ in my rig.

 

[ray12345]

Had an odd experience last night. While cranking Sade all of a sudden a couple of short crackles and the right channel goes dead or so I initially thought. Got closer to the speaker and there was some output. Maybe only 5% or less of the left channel. Swapping the RCA cables around a bit there was nothing coming out of the right channel of my X26P. I switched to the optical input on the DAC which is fed from my TV and the right channel was good thank god. Hmmmmm. Going upstream I unplugged the USB from my U18 and into the X26P and all is well. The U18 has gone bad. Now I'm thinking I have to ship the U18 back to Gustard. Pulled the power cord and upon powering it up again and connecting the USB back to it and all was well again. Yay! Now time will tell if this is the start of an on going issue or a one off problem.

My personal experience with U18 connected to C18 is that it needs a reboot every now and then. The sound after reboot is better. I leave it on 24/7, but I reboot it every time I start a listening session.